Senaspis haemorrhoa, Gerstaecker, 1871

In the unlikely event that anyone follows the chronology of this little blog, and has just come from the dramatic yet poorly photographed Sterna hirundo image posted recently, this reasonably charismatic group should help ease you back into the invertebrates...

Onwards!

 - Eukaryota
   - Animalia
     - Eumetazoa
       - Bilateralia
         - Nephrozoa - see also Thelotornis capensis, Lygodactylus capensis, Chalcophaps indica, Sterna hirundo and Hipposideros vittatus.
           - Protostomia
             - Ecdysozoa
               - Arthropoda - see also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus and Hyllus argyrotoxus
                 - Hexapoda
                   - Insecta
                     - Dicondylia
                       - Pterygota
                         - Manopterygota - see also Pseudagrion hageni
                           - Neoptera - see also Sybilla, Stictogryllacris punctata and Cyathosternum prehensile.
                             - Eumetabola - see also Pephricus and Anoplocnemis curvipes
                               - Endopterygota - see also Hagenomyia tristis, Synagris proserpina, Melolontha melolontha, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Demetrias atricapillus and Anthia fornasinii
                                 - Panorpida - see also Zebronia phenice, Laelia robusta, Anthocharis cardamines and Acada biseriata
                                   - Antliophora see also Panorpa germanica
                                     - Diptera - see also Megistocera filipes
                                       - Brachycera
                                         - Muscomorpha - see also Diasemopsis meigenii
                                           - Aschiza
                                             - Syrphoidea
                                               - Syrphidae - see also Episyrphus balteatus
                                                 - Eristalinae
                                                   - Eristalini - see also Helophus pendulus
                                                     - Eristalina

Senaspis haemorrhoa

(Gerstaecker, 1871)

and here (below) it is:

This fuzzy little hoverfly is Afrotropical (specifically, in this one's case, Lusaka City, Lusaka Province, Zambia), and its colouring seems to be intended to mimic a handful of similar leaf-cutter bees. Although little is freely available about its natural history, as a member of the Eristalini, it presumably spends time as a rat-tailed maggot in standing water, grazing on bacteria and generally being unobtrusive, before turning into a reasonably important pollinator at metamorphosis. Although only photographed once, several similar-looking flies were seen within weeks of this photograph being taken.


It is, I hasten to note, harmless. It has neither sting nor mandibles, and its mouthparts are not adapted for piercing. As with other hoverflies, it also has no real interest in your lunch.



That's all, folks.